Producing nitrogen and hydrogen mixtures



is necessary at rather frequent intervals to Ho Drawing.

leSQ-lf cTEi"? unrrsssrarns RALPH L. DODGE, OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO E. I. DU FONT DE NEMOURS 8a COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE,

A CORPORATIOII OF DEL.."LWARE rnonucxne nrrnosnnnnn HYDROGEN nux runns This invention relates to the production of gaseous mixtures of nitrogen and hydrogen and more particularly to the production of such mixtures by the catalytic' decompost tion of ammonia. The present applicat on is a continuation in part of my'cop'cndmg application Serial No. 336,336., :5:

It is knownthat ammonia can be decomposed into its elements, nitrogen and hydrogen, by subjecting it at an elevated temperature to contact with iron. Tliismethod of producing nitrogen and hydrogen is used with advantage where such gaseous mixtures are required for the testing of the efficiency of catalysts for the synthesis of ammoma from its elements. Moreover, when employing synthetic ammonia as the raw material,

this is a convenient way of readily obtaining 500 to 700 C. for example, as are desirable for the effective conduct of the reaction, this material becomes powdered and sintered in such a way as to obstruct the passage of gas through the reaction tube. It, therefore, the decomposition of ammonia is to be effected continuously over a long period ot time, it

replace the iron \vithfresh material.

It is the object of the presentinvention to; provide an improved'process for producing a gaseous mixtures of nitrogen and hydrogen by the thermal decomposition'ot ammonia, the process being characterized hythe employment "of improved. cata ysts possessing a high degree of activityiand capable oi use; J for long periods of tune-without disintegra-' tion.

@tering and fusing in suchv awayas to ob- Application filed April 2s, 1.936. SerialNo. 448,424, 1

Other objects and advantages of the in vention ill-be apparent as it is better under-i stood by reference to the following specifica tion in which its details'jand bodiments are-described. v

'Acc'ording to the" present invention improved results are obtained in theproduction' of gaseous mixture of nitrogenand hydrogen by thermal decomposition of am monia by combining a catalyst containing iron together Withone or more oxides of the elements comprising the groups aluminum, Z 11c011111111, chromium, magnesium and calclum. By'employing catalysts of thiscompositionit is possible to effect the decomposition of. ammonia more rapidly and at a lower temperature than with iron alone. 7

Although various methods may be used in the preparation of the catalyst and other ingredients than thosenamed above may 1 also be included if desired, I have found that for the best resultsthe catalyst should be substantially free from" elements of the alkali metal group or compounds thereof.

For, although the alkali metals and their compounds are frcquently'used with advantage in catalytic compositions and in fact, due to. the methods and the raw materials commonly employed in catalyst manufacture one or more ofthese elements are likely to be present, myexpericnce has shown that it is advisable to take precautions to avoid the presenceof alhali metals in the catalyst. In otherwords it is preferred to avoidusing such methods, otpreparation as would involve, for instance, the addition of any of the catalyst K ingredients. in th 6 .fO1li'l of an alkali metal. salt or it such catalyst be e1nployed, to take steps to eliminate tlie'allcali metal from-the catalyst before it is used in the decomposition of ammonia. The presallsali metal in the catalyst tends to' decrease the lite thereof, apparently by sinpreferred emf,

"ammonium hydroxide to complete precipita- U n3 k.)

struct the free fiow of gas through the body of contact material.

The catalysts herein described and methods for the preparation of which are set forth in the following examples are more active and generally satisfactory in the thermal decomposition of ammonia than iron alone. For

example, I have carried on the decomposi tion of ammonia for as long as 500 hours without appreciable deterioration of the catalyst. 1%: 1;

- While various methods of preparing the catalysts may be employed and the conditions" under which they are used in decomposing ammonia may be varied within wide limits, the following examples are given to illustrate the manner of practicing the invention.

EwmnpZe 1. Mix a solution "of ferric sulphate with an equal volume of 10% solution of ammonium chromate and then add tion. Filter the precipitate, wash free from sulphates and dry. i Form the dried material into hriquets of suitable size and subject'' these to reduction by means of hydrogen at a temperature within thorange ofiO to 550 C. In employing thiscatalyst in the thermal decompositionof ammonia it is disposed in a nickel or nichrome tube surround ed by an electrical heater. v hen ammonia gas is passed over this catalyst at atcmperature within the range of 600 to 700 C. the ammonia is decomposed 1nto ts elements and by suitably adjusting the rate of flow an efii-j cient conversion of ammonia to nitrogen and hydrogen may be obtained. Any lll'lClGCOHl.

posed ammonia may be removed, from' the" gaseous products by one of the known ways, as, for example, by absorption in water or an Eawaple (Zr-Qt catalyst adapted for use in the manner indicated under Example 1 may be prepared by adding approximately 3% by weight of magnesium oxide and 3% by weight of aluminum oxide to ,pure ferrosov ferric oxide, the percentagesbe'ing based 'on' the total catalytic material calculated as oxide. Melt the oxide mixture, allow it to cool and crush and screen it to suitable'size The catalyst is subjected to reduction before Ewamplc 3.The catalyst described in ample 1 may be replaced by one prepared by fusing ferroso ferric oxide with 2% by weight of zirconium oxide." The molten-mixture is allowed to cool, crushed, screened to Sllltfiblfi size and then reduce-d.

in the course of its reduction or during actualuse. The term catalyst as emplcyedin the claims isintendcd, therefore, toinclude the contact mass as prepared as well asany modi; lied form in which it may exist during the;

. actually be initiated and carried on at lower temperatures, but for, efficient operation of the process I prefer to employ the elevated temperatures named. Higher temperatures may also be employed but, generally speaking-,with some deterioration in the physical form of the catalyst.v Yarious changes may be made inlthe meth-. od described without departing from the invention or sacrificing any" of the advantages thereof. 7

'1. The process of producing'a' mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen which comprisescontacting gaseous ammonia at anelevated tempenture with a catalyst consisting of iron and an oxide of one of the elements selected from the group consisting ofmagnesium and calcium. I. 1 i

2.,The processvof producing a mixture of v nitrogen and hydrogen which comprises contacting gaseous ammonia at an elevated temperature with a catalyst comprising iron and magnesium oxide.-

7 The process of producing a'mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen which compr ses contacting gaseous ammonia at a temperature within the range of 600 to 700C. with a catalyst consisting of iron 'a-ndan' oxide of one of the elements selected from the groupconsisting of magnesium and calcium? llj The process of producing a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen which comprises contacting gaseous ammonia at a temperature within the range of 600 to 700 C. with acat aylst comprising iron and magnesium oxide. j '5. 'Tl e'process'of producing a mixture of nitrogenfand hydrogen which comprises contacting gaseous ammonia at an elevated temperature with a {catalyst comprising iron,

, magnesium oxidej and aluminum oxide.

Th'e'process of producing a mixture of 1 nitrogenjandhydrogenwhichcomprisescon- Np explanation. or theory is'oficredas to any changes in physical form orchemicah composition that may occur in the catalyst catalyst comprising iron, magnesium id I:

and aluminum oxide.

7;-..The,processof producing a mixture of tactin g gaseousammoniaat an elevated tem peraturc with acatalyst consisting of iron nitrogen and hydrogcnwhich comprises con- 

